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conventional long form: State of Qatar conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar

Qatar is often
mispronounced because too much emphasis goes to the "tar" syllable. The
correct way is "'kä-t&r." The & is like the "a" or "u" in "abut." The
emphasis is slightly toward the first syllable. The closest approximation
of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like
guitar

Capital: Doha

Government Type:
traditional monarchy

Qatar: An Overview

Small in size (one
third of the size of Belgium), Qatar is enormous in value. It has achieved
within decades what other countries take centuries to accomplish. Its
citizens embrace the future with unswerving optimism and enviable
potential. Hospitable, generous and kind, Qatari's make visitors to their
country feel very welcome. Qatar is an ideal family location and a very
safe place to visit, live and work. Standards of living are high as the
infrastructure continues to develop rapidly. Now more than ever, Qatar is
ripe for discovery by tourists from all over the world.

Language: Arabic
(official), English commonly used as a second language

Only about 30% of
the residents of Qatar are actually citizens of Qatar. The population
includes large communities of Indians, Pakistanis and Iranians, and
smaller communities of Filipinos, Bangladeshis, Sudanese, Afghans, Sri
Lankans and Britons.

Economy

Qatar's economy is
very strong, due to its abundance of oil and natural gas reserves. This
means that there is significant ongoing investment being made into the
local infrastructure to support high standards of living and the
successful development of tourism.

GDP: purchasing power
parity - $19.49 billion (2004 est.)

Qatar in the
Future

Qatar's hosting of
the Asian games in 2006 has brought along with it various infrastructural
obligations. Qatar has already started work on the construction of an
estimated $700 million 'Asian Games Village'. It is also hoping to have a
new International Airport ready in time for the Asian Games. Qatar
continues to be the choice venue for conducting various international
seminars and conferences.

Qatar's long-term
vision has also led it to invest heavily in education, through the
development of an 'education city'. The facility will have amongst others,
professional higher educational

Going to Qatar

Visas

If you want to
stay in Qatar on a residence visa you must have a health examination,
which includes HIV and tuberculosis tests and an X-ray. Foreign nationals
sponsored by a company need an exit permit in order to leave the country.

Visa applications are judged by country of passport, country of birth, job
status, current demographics of nationalities within Qatar and status of
applicant Qatari company.

Types of Visas

Tourist Visa.
Applications for tourist visas are submitted to the Immigration Department
(Airport Visas Section) by one of the registered hotels. Visas are usually
given within 24 hours and are valid for 14 days. They can be extended for
another 14 days.

Business Visa. A
company or a recognized establishment submit an application to the
Immigration Department (Airport Visa Section). Visas are usually given
within 24 hours and are valid for 14 days. They may be extended for
another 3 months.

GCC Residents Visa.
GCC residents are granted a visa at the Airport. The visa is valid for 14
days and may be extended for another 14 days. Having a valid residence
visa in any GCC country is a precondition.

Visa for the
Companions of GCC Nationals This visa is granted at any entry point.

Work Visit Visa. The
Ministry of Interior issues approval. The sponsor handles fees and
collection of visa.

Family visit Visa.
The Ministry of Interior issues approval. The sponsor handles fees and
collection of visa.

Multiple-entry
Business Visa. The Ministry of Interior issues approval. The sponsor
handles fees and collection of visa, usually given within 24 hours.

Working Visa. This is
valid for one year and more. The Ministry of Interior issues approval. The
sponsor handles fees and collection of visa, usually given within 24
hours.

Work Permit. Once
the employer has had the employment contract approved by the Department of
Immigration in Qatar, the foreign national can begin the process of
obtaining a work permit. This must be done in Qatar, either by the
expatriate employee or by his or her local employer. Regardless of the
circumstances, the following documents must be submitted by the applicant

 Valid passport
 Four passport-sized photographs
 Satisfactory health evaluation
 Proof that the applicant has no criminal record

(This last document is usually in the form of a declaration by the
expatriate's home police or security bureau.)

Once the documents submitted by the applicant have been received by the
Department of Immigration, the visa takes about six to eight weeks to
process.

Residence Visas

Residence Work Visa.
The Ministry of Interior issues approval. The sponsor submits the
application, handles fees and collection of visa, usually given within 24
hours.

People in Qatar
generally use private transport. Visitors can use taxis. They are cheap,
available any time, anywhere and are easy to spot with their orange and
white colours.

Basic Education

Qatar follows a
policy of compulsory education until the end of the elementary stage and
free education to all citizens. Basic education consists of the following
stages,

Elementary Stage: Six
years

Preparatory Stage:
Three years

Secondary Stage:
Three years

Traffic
Safety and Road Conditions

Safety of public
transportation: Good
Urban road conditions/maintenance: Good
Rural road conditions/maintenance: Good
Availability of roadside assistance: Poor

Telephones
The telecommunications system of Qatar is quite reliable. However, this
may be only in comparison to the systems of nearby countries, and
expatriates from places with very advanced communications systems may be a
little disappointed. Most residents have no problems with the connections,
whilst others may find it problematic for things like sending faxes and
connecting to the Internet.

Telephone Codes. When
dialling Qatar from another country, use the country code [974]. There are
no additional city or area codes.
ClothingA wide variety of materials and tailoring services for both men
and women are available at reasonable prices.

Men

For office and work
site attire during the summer, men normally wear lightweight washable
trousers and short sleeved, open necked shirts. For those with jobs
connected to public relations, long sleeved shirts and ties are preferred.
Jackets or suits are worn for formal visits to Government offices and at
formal social occasions.

During the winter,
warmer trousers, sweaters and jackets are needed. Windbreakers are useful
for staff working in certain outdoor locations.

Women

The winter in Qatar
resembles autumn in Europe, and on occasion the temperature can be fairly
low with strong winds. Therefore, it is necessary to have a wardrobe which
can also cope with the colder weather although such items as a heavy
winter coat are not required.

For ordinary
day-to-day use, most women wear sweaters and winter skirts, trousers or
woolen dresses. Stockings and tights are available in most shopping
centers.

There are many
occasions when one can wear formal evening dresses, especially at social
gatherings. It is possible to buy smart clothes for these special
occasions from the many boutiques and shopping centers in Doha.

Local Cuisine
Qatar itself has no notable national cuisine to speak of, but
international foods are available in abundance. This includes such
selections as American, Arabic, Chinese, Continental, Indian, Persian and
Thai food. But regardless of type, the best food is often found at hotel
restaurants.

Television

There are two main
television channels in Qatar. The "Qatar Satellite Station" is an
Arabic-language channel that broadcasts a number of programmes including
local and international news. "Second Channel" is an English-language
station, providing shows for the large English-speaking contingent in
Qatar.